Back in NSW

Well we have arrived in NSW. We have settled in our house and are looking forward to having lots of visitors and time with friends and family. Here is a picture of our new house.

We have been enjoying the time off and will continue to rest until February, when Scott goes back to work. I have applied for jobs but was unsuccessful before Christmas, due to the difficulty in being present for interviews in NSW, while living in WA. It looks like I'll be doing casual teaching, at least to begin with. I have signed up to do a Naturopathy course by correspondence though, so that should keep me busy if I happen to get a day off. It is a 3 year full time course but I can take as long as I need to complete it.

Christmas Day

This year we spent Christmas in Melbourne. We arrived a few days early to allow some time to catch up with family and friends. We had a trip down to Geelong to see Scott's childhood neighbours. We had a lovely barbecue followed by dessert and a game of Kids Charades.

Christmas day was started with a church service, where Scott's mum attends. Then we headed off to Deb and Ian's for a beautiful lunch, present opening and even a game of cricket.

Here are Cassie and Bailey, enjoying one of their Christmas gifts while wearing their Christmas doggie bandanas - how cute!

The Great Ocean Road

We decided to take an extra day on our trip from WA to VIC, to do The Great Ocean Road. It was quite a spectacular drive, right along the edge of the coast in many parts.

London Bridge...has fallen down.

The twelve... or eleven... or ten apostles?

Kimba - South Australia

Kimba claims to be the half way point across Australia and they mark it with 'The Big Galah'. There isn't much to see in Kimba, except our newly married friends Alison and Jason (I worked with Alison in Tamworth).Jason manages about 30 thousand acres of farm land, where they plant and harvest wheat, oats and more. They even have sheep! Scott and I learnt a lot from our visit and we were fascinated by the huge machinery they get to use. One thing we learnt is that farming is not what it used to be. These machines are primarily controlled by computers, they have CD players, air conditioning and air cushioned seats - who wouldn't want to be a farmer? Not me.

Scott and the PC9

During the last week or two in Perth, Scott was able to have a bit of fun in the aircraft. The first two photos show Scott in a formation with 22 aircraft, displaying the Thunderbird.

Here we see him having his final flight in the PC9, where he was able to have a solo flight and have a bit of fun. I was home this day and so he spent a bit of time, showing off, I mean flying above our house. When he arrived back at the base he was greeted by a group of students who were there to give him his send off present - a shower of raw eggs and flour. Shows how much they loved him!

Kristie and Dennis' Wedding

What a spectacular day! Scott and I both made the trip back to Sydney for this wedding, we wouldn't have missed it for anything. Sorry no photos of Scott as yet! They will come :)

Liss and Dave's Wedding

Scott went by himself for this wedding. We took it in turns. He had a great time catching up with everyone and he was so glad to be there to celebrate with Liss and Dave. He also enjoyed staying with Jen and Phil - thanks for looking after him!

Alison and Jason's Wedding

I got to have another trip back to Sydney last weekend. Alison was a friend I worked with in Tamworth. She was only there for the first year because she followed her heart and moved closer to Jason, in SA. Although I missed her greatly, it was nice to catch up and celebrate with her at her wedding (which was held in Wollongong).

Scott Brews Wine

A few months ago, we made a discovery. We knew you could brew your own beer and spirits but didn't believe the sign when it said 'Brew your own Wine'. After a visit to the shop and a talk with the saleslady, we found out it was true and so the process began. After buying the equipment kit, we then had to choose the kit for the type of wine we wanted. Scott's favourite is chardonnay, so we decided to try that first. The wine has now fermented and settled and been bottled! Here is Scott opening the first bottle, which apparently still needs a bit more time to fully develop. With a total of 32 bottles from the first kit, I think he will have some to share with all of you!To make the wine seem more professional and also have the personal touch, he has also designed his own label for his first batch 2007 Chardonnay from the 'Forever Travelling Winery'.Scott has already begun the next batch of wine, Semillon Blanc, which will be ready to bottle in a week or two.

Cirque de Soleil - Varekai

After hearing from many people how good the Varekai show was, we decided to book our tickets and head to the circus. While we were waiting for the doors to open, Scott found some animlas to befriend (they weren't the most comfortable seats, but they were fun).It was an amazing show, with some incredible talents and performances. I loved the kids, they were so cute. The three Asian boys performed very well and they were quite professional! Scott was impressed with the juggling and he's not easy to impress (only joking) - the juggler was quite spectacular. After the show we headed up to King's Park for a fantastic view of the city. A must to do if you ever visit Perth. It is great to see during the day or at night!